


Vibrant

by hotmess_ex_press



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, F/F, Getting Together, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-07
Updated: 2018-05-07
Packaged: 2019-05-03 07:01:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14563557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotmess_ex_press/pseuds/hotmess_ex_press
Summary: Tonks exploded into Fleur's life.





	Vibrant

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly? I'm not sure.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this anyway.

The first time Fleur sees her, it's quite a shock.

She has on high-waisted cutoffs with suspenders hanging down, yellow ones, with a purple stripe running down the middle, a cropped, long sleeve turtleneck in a shade of red that clashes terribly with her colorful bedhead, and worn, scratched rainboots with the colors chipped off in most places. It's her messy, shoulder-length, violet hair and huge beam that catch Fleur's eye.

She's not the usual type to come into the veteran home Fleur works at. Fleur is surprised to find she doesn't mind too much.

The girl catches her staring, but her smile only broadens as she saunters up to the reception desk. She leans on the counter, one hand coming up to tangle in her plum hair.

"Not my color, is it?" she asks. "Makes me look peaky."

Just in time, Fleur finds her voice, and isn't ashamed when her accent comes out thicker than usual. "No. I don't think the length is, either."

With a laugh, the stranger takes the pen Fleur is offering to her and signs in. A nearby nurse swoops up and leads her off into one of the many hallways. Her violet hair bounces slightly as she turns back and waves, right before waltzing out of view.

***

Fleur doesn't think about the girl all week.

"You've changed your hair," she blurts out, and immediately wants to punch herself, because she isn't supposed to notice stuff like that. It's _weird._

"Yep," she responds, not finding it off at all. She flips a section of turquoise bob out of her face. One side is held back by a large pink Hello Kitty clip. Fleur admires that.

"Who are you visiting today?" Fleur pushes the sheet a little closer.

"Sirius Black," she makes no move to grab a pen. "Do you know him?"

Fleur snorts a little. _Everyone_ knows and adores Sirius Black. She tells the visitor exactly that. On his good days, he is known for escaping his room and running around visiting everyone, holding random and painful singing contests, breaking vases, and generally acting like an excited, overgrown puppy. _Fitting._ Dog Star. Most of his days are good ones, as well.

Blue Hair chuckles. "Of course. He's my uncle, you know."

"That's nice," Fleur relies, as she finally scrawls her name down. "Have a nice visit..." Fleur uses her pencil to twirl around the paper, hardly able to make out any letters due to absolutely _horrible_ handwriting. "Tonks."

Tonks winks, throwing up a couple finger guns. "Thanks, Fleur."

Tonks swaggers off, and Fleur blushes slightly, brushing the tips of her fingers against her cold plastic name tag. She shakes her head, clearing it, and turns back to her computer.

***

The next time Tonks comes in, she's with a man Fleur has only seen around a few times. He looks only a couple years older than her, but more tired, maybe even ill. His pale face however, is taken up by a broad smile. In his hands is what looks like a homemade chocolate-marshmallow cake.

Tonks' bright hair is hidden by a fuchsia beanie, eyes wide behind wire-framed glasses. A vibrant, explosive bouquet is clutched in her hands, expression similar to the man's.

"Hey, Fleur!" she bounds up to the desk. Next to all the colors of Tonks, Fleur feels bland as empty clouds in her plain white blouse. "It's Sirius's birthday!"

Fleur knows. She's sure the whole world knows, because Sirius had been screaming like a banshee and barreling around the building at an especially early time this morning. She pushes her long, white-blonde hair over her shoulder, nodding and smiling.

"Who's this?" she questions, gaze directed at the other person in the room.

"This is Remus," Tonks exclaims, and he waves. "Sirius's husband of, like, seven lifetimes."

"Ah, Remus. Nice to meet you. I'm Fleur," she pauses, considering her words, but they find their way out of her mouth anyway. "I don't see you here very often."

Remus nods, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I'm at the hospital a lot."

Fleur nods, knowing not to pry, and the pair signs in.

She imagines the small family reunion, and tries to keep that wistful pinch out of her heart. When the sounds of the trio singing loudly and off-key, laughing together and horsing around, travels down the silent hallways, she finds it quite impossible.

***

Just before visiting hours are over and they're all kicked out, Tonks wanders back into the entrance room. Fleur is wrapping up some paperwork, and glances up only when Tonks places a plate with a huge slice of rich chocolate cake in front of her.

She smiles softly. "We couldn't finish it all, despite Sirius's best efforts, so I thought you might like some."

Fleur blinks slowly, eyes wide. A slightly tense stretch of quiet follows, until Fleur shyly smiles back, dipping her head a little.

"Thank you, Tonks."

***

When Tonks skips in the very next week, her hair is cropped short and dyed a light green-yellow. It's raining quite a bit, so she stomps her dark purple boots on the welcome mat, shaking out an umbrella with a large cartoon duck on it.

"You look cold," Fleur states, looking first at her ripped mustard colored fishnets, then her oversized paint-splattered tee. She hopes Tonks is wearing pants. "I like your hair."

"Do you?" Fleur nods. "Thanks. I like it, too."

As Tonks is turning away, Fleur mentions, "Just in case, Sirius is a bit down today. Misses James, I think. It's been very quiet."

Despite herself, Tonks cracks a smile. "'Kay. Don't worry, I'll cheer him up. He'll be impersonating a duck in no time at all, don't worry."

Fleur giggles behind her hand. "That is, if he can recognize you. It's a change."

Tonks raps her knuckles against the desk. "Your lack of faith in me is truly saddening."

True to her word, Tonks has Sirius-quite literally-quacking in minutes.

***

 

Sirius sees Tonks out a few hours later. After they watch her retreat back into the pouring storm, he presses his palms flat against the counter and jumps up, balancing his weight on his hands and tilting back and forth.

Fleur knows she should tell him to stop, but she's always had a soft spot for Sirius.

He swings his legs up and sits cross-legged on the counter, reaching for the bowl of various hard candies _for visitors only_. Fleur glares, but he only winks at her as he shoves three in his mouth. She can see how he and Tonks are related.

"She's fond of you, you know," he remarks casually, and Fleur doesn't complicate the words with a meaningless 'who?'. She knows who he's talking about, she just shrugs.

Sirius grabs a few more candies, and Fleur winces as he crunches up the ones still in his mouth.

"She's been through some shit," he continues, balling up a few wrappers and tossing them at Fleur's trash can. "I ship it, though. Remus does too, I think. Not totally sure though, since he smacked me last time I brought it up."

"What?"

"I know. Abusive husband, right? Don't date guys."

Fleur slaps his knee. "Leave me alone and I'll buy you crisps tomorrow."

Sirius whoops, grabbing another handful of sweets, and runs off to bother someone else.

***

A few weeks pass, Tonks showing up once a week, every week, just like clockwork. At some point, she starts bringing coffees for the two of them, from her favorite stop downtown. Fleur accepts them, always with a twinge of guilt, but she's broke and loves coffee, and the fact that they're from _Tonks_ gives her a bubbly, warm feeling.

She looks forward to Tonks' visits much too much to try and deny her feelings anymore.

(Everyone _but_ Fleur notices how more color works its way into her wardrobe, peeking out as jeweled earrings and patterned socks and pastel dresses.)

"Fleur," Tonks mentions one day, stirring her straw around in her mocha. Her hair is a cheerful bubblegum pink now, spiked up and perfectly balancing her heart-shaped face. Fleur thinks she likes it even more than the chartreuse. "Why haven't you asked me out yet?"

Fleur pauses, paper cup raised halfway to her lips, and she can feel her cheeks heating up. She shrugs prettily, accent prominent. "I don't know. I could ask you the same thing, couldn't I?"

Tonks' grin is blinding. "Do you want me to?"

Their eyes meet, and Fleur works up the courage to answer. "That might be nice."

Tonks sets aside her coffee and props her elbows up on the counter, leaning in closer and taking one of Fleur's hands in her own. "Then, Fleur, how would you like to see me sometimes? I mean, outside of here?"

Fleur looks down, biting her lip, letting her hair hide her blush.

"I think I'd like that," she says. "I really would."

**Author's Note:**

> Haha! This is really random. Sorry if this has been done already, whoops.
> 
> Comments and kudos are my favorite foods!


End file.
